Here is our latest table of Cromford® Market Index values for the single-family markets in the 17 largest cities

The average monthly change in CMI was -31%. This is a slight improvement on last week when the reading was -32%. Once again it is a very large deterioration in a very short time. New listings have slowed down to a normal level. However a normal quantity of new listings is far more than the market can cope with, when demand is as weak as it is at the moment. Demand is falling at a slower rate and is even rising in a few places. However it is currently so far below normal that in most areas it will take a large increase to get back to the level where it can absorb a normal quantity of new listings.

We have 3 cities in a buyer's market - Buckeye, Queen Creek and Maricopa - the same as last week. In all three, the reduced number of buyers now have a strong negotiating advantage with a large number of active listings to select from.

Above them we have Gilbert, Tempe, Surprise, Chandler, Peoria, Glendale, Phoenix and Mesa in a balanced market where the buyers and sellers have no particular advantage. This leaves only 6 cities that are statistically in the seller's market zone with a CMI over 110. Only one of these is a large market - Scottsdale. Two of them (Fountain Hills and Cave Creek) saw relatively modest declines in their CMI over the last month of 15% or less.

The bottom 13 cities saw CMI declines of 29% or more but at least there are none over 40%. The housing market is still deteriorating for sellers but it is getting worse at a slower rate. This is particularly true of Phoenix itself. The next stage we are looking out for is for one or more of these cities to stop deteriorating and edge higher. This means their arrow circle will turn green and point upward. April 21 is the last time we had one or more cities showing green.

Gilbert, Tempe and Surprise look ready to become buyer's markets within days, while Avondale and Goodyear are likely to move into the balanced zone shortly.


Market insights provided by the Cromford report.